Category: Emerging Infectious Diseases
There’s a New Fungus in Town and It Won’t Be the Last
MedPageToday The arrival of C. auris in Washington is a harbinger of health systems addled by climate change. For healthcare systems in the Pacific Northwest, the recent outbreaks of Candida auris (C. auris) serve as a wake-up call. The implications of the arrival of this resilient and drug-resistant fungal pathogen are profound, particularly for our most vulnerable patients who are […]
Mar 26, 2024
COVID-19 Antibody Discovery Could Explain Long COVID
UVA UVA Health researchers have discovered a potential explanation for some of the most perplexing mysteries of COVID-19 and long COVID. The surprising findings could lead to new treatments for the difficult acute effects of COVID-19, long COVID and possibly other viruses. Researchers led by UVA’s Steven L. Zeichner, MD, PhD, found that COVID-19 may […]
Mar 26, 2024
Florida reports 11th measles case of 2024, this time linked to international travel
Orlando Sentinal Florida reported another measles case on Friday, bringing the state’s total to 11 cases this year amid a worldwide uptick in a highly infectious disease once thought to be eliminated in the U.S. The case was identified in South Florida’s Martin County, in an individual age 55-59. It was linked to travel outside […]
Mar 26, 2024
Japan warns on surge in potentially deadly strep throat cases
Reuters Japanese health authorities have warned about a jump in potentially deadly strep throat infections, with cases running about three times higher than last year in Tokyo. Across the country, infections of streptococcus bacteria of the throat are being diagnosed at quadruple the pace of the past five years, according to a health ministry report […]
Mar 26, 2024
COVID-19 is waning but these viruses are still hanging around as we head into early spring
USA Today As the country begins to thaw out in preparation for spring, COVID-19 cases are finally waning although other viruses are on the rise. Data from Wastewater SCAN, a network run by Stanford and Emory University that monitors sewage for signs of disease, shows concentrations of the virus have ranged from low to medium […]
Mar 19, 2024
Nearly 7% of Americans struggle with Long COVID as infections surge
Gavi Around 17.6 million American adults are grappling with Long COVID, according to a recent survey conducted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The uptick comes as the CDC eases COVID-19 isolation guidelines, a decision that has divided experts. The percentage of Americans with Long COVID now stands at 6.8% and has risen […]
Mar 19, 2024
In a pandemic milestone, the NIH ends guidance on COVID treatment
NPR These days, if you’re sick with COVID-19 and you’re at risk of getting worse, you could take pills like Paxlovid or get an antiviral infusion. By now, these drugs have a track record of doing pretty well at keeping people with mild to moderate COVID-19 out of the hospital. The availability of COVID-19 treatments […]
Mar 19, 2024
The improbable victory over smallpox holds lessons for health threats in 2024
NPR Smallpox was certified eradicated in 1980, but I first learned about the disease’s twisty, storied history in 1996 while interning at the World Health Organization. I was a college student fascinated by the sheer magnitude of what it took to wipe a human disease from the earth for the first time. Over the years, […]
Mar 19, 2024
As Covid Spread, a Strain of Flu Disappeared. Now Scientists Say a Second Could Go Too
Bloomberg Stay-at-home orders, border closures, mask-wearing and other measures aimed at stemming Covid-19’s spread led to the global disappearance of a notorious winter germ. Now, scientists say it might be feasible with better vaccines to rid the world of a second one. For decades, flu epidemics were driven by four strains. One of them, the so-called Yamagata-lineage […]
Mar 13, 2024
What we know about long COVID — from brain fog to physical fatigue
NPR At a recent Senate hearing on long COVID, Rachel Beale took to the stage and shared her experience managing her symptoms for the past three years. “Long COVID has affected every part of my life,” said the Virginia resident. “I wake up every day feeling tired, nauseous and dizzy. I immediately start planning when I […]
Mar 13, 2024